Sri Lankan Sesame-Lime Coconut Pudding (Watalappan-Adjacent)

About This Recipe

Watalappan, a rich steamed custard made from coconut milk, jaggery, eggs and warm spices like cardamom and nutmeg, is one of Sri Lanka's most treasured desserts, closely tied to the island's Malay community and traditionally served at celebrations. This version keeps the essential watalappan technique — coconut milk and jaggery custard, steamed gently until set — while adding a scatter of toasted sesame seeds and a touch of lime zest, both modern, non-traditional additions layered onto the authentic base. Jaggery, unrefined palm or cane sugar with a deep caramel-molasses flavor, is what gives watalappan its distinctive dark color and rich sweetness — white sugar simply doesn't replicate the same depth, so it's worth seeking out. The custard, whisked from eggs, coconut milk, melted jaggery and warm spices, is steamed gently in a water bath rather than baked directly, which keeps the texture silky rather than curdled or rubbery. A finish of toasted sesame seeds and a little lime zest, stirred in or scattered on top just before serving, adds a nutty crunch and citrus brightness that cuts through the pudding's deep sweetness.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 200 gjaggery(grated or chopped)
• 0.5 cupwater
• 4eggs
• 2 cupscoconut milk
• 0.5 tspground cardamom
• 0.25 tspground nutmeg
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsplime zest
• 0.25 cupcashews(toasted, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Melt the jaggery

   Combine jaggery and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until fully melted and smooth, then strain to remove any impurities. Let cool slightly.

2. 2

   Whisk the custard

   Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then gradually whisk in the melted jaggery syrup, coconut milk, cardamom, nutmeg and salt until smooth.

3. 3

   Pour into a dish

   Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a greased heatproof dish to remove any egg strands, then cover the dish tightly with foil.

4. 4

   Steam gently

   Place the dish in a larger baking pan and add hot water to reach halfway up the sides. Steam in a 160C (320F) oven for 40-45 minutes until just set with a slight jiggle in the center.

5. 5

   Cool and chill

   Remove from the water bath and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours until fully set.

6. 6

   Serve

   Scatter with toasted sesame seeds, lime zest and toasted cashews just before serving.

Variations

• •

  Classic version: skip the sesame and lime zest entirely for a traditional, unadorned watalappan.

• •

  Extra richness: use full-fat, first-press coconut milk for the creamiest, most traditional texture.

• •

  No jaggery available: substitute dark brown sugar mixed with a tablespoon of molasses, though the flavor will be slightly different from true jaggery.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 4 days. Serve chilled directly from the fridge; the texture is best within the first 2-3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions